storing analytics data

app/Http/Controllers/Web/DiscoverController.php

@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ use App\Services\ArtworkSearchService;
 use App\Services\ArtworkService;
 use App\Services\ThumbnailPresenter;
 use Illuminate\Http\Request;
+use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Cache;
 use Illuminate\Support\Facades\DB;
 use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Schema;
 
@@ -190,26 +191,56 @@ final class DiscoverController extends Controller
             ->pluck('user_id');
 
         if ($followingIds->isEmpty()) {
-            $artworks = Artwork::query()->paginate(0);
+            // Trending fallback: show popular artworks so the page isn't blank
+            try {
+                $fallbackResults = $this->searchService->discoverTrending(12);
+                $fallbackArtworks = $fallbackResults->getCollection()
+                    ->transform(fn ($a) => $this->presentArtwork($a));
+            } catch (\Throwable) {
+                $fallbackArtworks = collect();
+            }
+
+            // Suggested creators: most-followed users the viewer doesn't follow yet
+            $suggestedCreators = DB::table('users')
+                ->join('user_statistics', 'users.id', '=', 'user_statistics.user_id')
+                ->where('users.id', '!=', $user->id)
+                ->whereNotNull('users.email_verified_at')
+                ->where('users.is_active', true)
+                ->orderByDesc('user_statistics.followers_count')
+                ->limit(8)
+                ->select(
+                    'users.id',
+                    'users.name',
+                    'users.username',
+                    'user_statistics.followers_count',
+                )
+                ->get();
 
             return view('web.discover.index', [
-                'artworks'    => $artworks,
-                'page_title'  => 'Following Feed',
-                'section'     => 'following',
-                'description' => 'Follow some creators to see their work here.',
-                'icon'        => 'fa-user-group',
-                'empty'       => true,
+                'artworks'           => collect(),
+                'page_title'         => 'Following Feed',
+                'section'            => 'following',
+                'description'        => 'Follow some creators to see their work here.',
+                'icon'               => 'fa-user-group',
+                'empty'              => true,
+                'fallback_trending'  => $fallbackArtworks,
+                'fallback_creators'  => $suggestedCreators,
             ]);
         }
 
-        $artworks = Artwork::query()
-            ->public()
-            ->published()
-            ->with(['user:id,name,username', 'categories:id,name,slug,content_type_id,parent_id,sort_order'])
-            ->whereIn('user_id', $followingIds)
-            ->orderByDesc('published_at')
-            ->paginate($perPage)
-            ->withQueryString();
+        $page    = (int) request()->get('page', 1);
+        $cacheKey = "discover.following.{$user->id}.p{$page}";
+
+        $artworks = Cache::remember($cacheKey, 60, function () use ($user, $followingIds, $perPage): \Illuminate\Pagination\LengthAwarePaginator {
+            return Artwork::query()
+                ->public()
+                ->published()
+                ->with(['user:id,name,username', 'categories:id,name,slug,content_type_id,parent_id,sort_order'])
+                ->whereIn('user_id', $followingIds)
+                ->orderByDesc('published_at')
+                ->paginate($perPage)
+                ->withQueryString();
+        });
 
         $artworks->getCollection()->transform(fn ($a) => $this->presentArtwork($a));